The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1887-07-22
MIRROR MAKING.
THE PROCESSES OF NfaNrE.c
TURING LOOKING GLASSES
Polishing the Sheets of Glass
The Silvering Proccss-The
Rough Plates Turned into
Gorgeous Mirrors.

A reporter of the Chicago H,roL
wandered into a place on River street
where member Of firm of mirroi
makers kindly took him over the estab.
lishment. \ most interesting sight il
proved to be. From one hundred TO q
hundred and fifty men and boys ar,
employed in this factory. which occupie,
four floors of large building. On the
first floor were immense piles of plate
glass ranging from big sheets of glass
/ 200 by % inches down to the small
pieces for hand mirrors. Men and BOYS
were polishing glass. Some were run
ming large sheets over big wheels covered
with felt thickly powdered with rouge,
which is used in polishing. Others were
polishing by hand large pieces
laid on tables. These being too
large for the machinery, muscular
looking men with barred arms and brows
drenched with perspiration vigorously
rubbed the surface with felt covered
blocks dipped in rouge. After the glass
is thoroughly polished it is taken up to
the next floor, where it is laid on tables
and cut into the sizes ordered. 1t then
passes into the hands of the Jewellers,
who, with sand and water and large
grindstones, artistically finish the edges Of
the glass. 1t takes trip upward again,
to another floor, and is once more put
through polishing process to remove
any scratches or blemishes that may be
on the glass. After every spot or scratch,
no matter how minute, has been removed,
careful hands convey the now beautiful
and sparkling glass to the room where it
goes through the final process, the silver
ing. Huge tables of east iron or stone,
made like billiard tables, with raised
edges, are used in the silvering room.
These tables are of great strength and
solidity, and all around the edge is
drain for the superiiuous mercury. AIer-
curry is poured over the tables in quaint
ties sufficient to float the glass, which.
after being tinfoiled is gently and carefully
pushed across the table containing the
mercury. Great care must be taken to
prevent blemishes, the least speck
of dust being ruinous to the
mirror. Mercury, like molten
lead, Is always covered with
a dirty-looking scum which cannot be
removed by skimming. The least bit of
this scum would spoil the mirror, so the
difficulty is obviated by showing the
scum along with the edge Of the glass.
After successfully floating the glass on
the mercury wollen cloth is spread
over the whole surface, and square iron
weights are applied until the whole
presents a compact mass Of iron, two
or three pounds to the square inch
After this pressure has been continued
for ten or twelve hours the weights are
removed and the glass placed upon
another table of wood with a slightly in
clined top. The inclination is
increased until the unamalga- |
mated quicksilver has drained away and |
only the perfect amalgam remains, coat
ing the glass and perfectly adherent |
This ends the process and the erstwhile |
rough piece of plate glass energies from
The sllvering room "A gorgeous mirror
Silvering mirrors is an unhealthy en-
ployment, and the men cannot work at it |
more than two or three hours daily.
They must be strictly temperate and alb
stain from all use of alcohol drinks.
They need nerves of steel to be able to
,ndure the horribly ear-splitting, pene-
rating sounds of the grinding-room.
ANOTHER process less dangerous is used
n making mirrors dalled the patent back.
solution of colorless liquid is poured
'ver the glass, which is laid on a table
md steamed for time. Then after the
Mirror is developed the back is painted
With a dark red paint, applied with soft
amel's hair brushes. 1t is quite simple
nd quickly accomplished, but it is only
lsed in the cheapest grades of glass
mirrors.
Mirror manufactures are not numerous,
here being only one of any consequence
n Chicago. Nearly all glass is imported
rom St. Gobain, France, or from Bel
ium, these being the only two places in
he world where plate glass of first quality
an be procured.
Mirrors are mentioned in ancient his
DRY, and mythology tells of the brave
on Of Hercules, who by the assistance
+ mirror captured the Medusa head,
nd we all know how modern bellies and
'eaux capture each other by the kindly
id of mirrors, which assist them to see
hat their armor Is properly adjusted
young ladies use mirrors at
ALLOW cen to determine their matrimo-
ial chances. The superstitious tell us
nj re break mirror means bad luck for
sven long years. Our grandmothers were
ectent to have little ten by twelve inch
-lasses on their dressing tables, but the
MODERN woman requires a full-length
Mirror so as to be able at one glance to
axe in their whole tout ensemble, from
rown to toe And, more than that, they
equire two at time to be able to view
heir back hair and the set of their hustle
r their train. Fashion decress that mir
Drs shall be extensively used in house
We find them everywhere
sed in interior decorations for carriages,
rect cars, boats and, in fact, where not
he reporter knows North Side belle
no has good-sized glass inlaid in the !
lner cover Of her prayer-book-